Close Call Thread

[Centrios]

Date: A month ago (from 9-25-07)
Time: about 8:00am
Location: Wadsworth and hwy 36
Conditions: Sun relatively high, warm and dry.

IM headed north on Wadsworth. Im getting on west bound 36. There’s two turn lanes, left and right. Im in the right lane and Speedy Gonzales is in the left. (This turn is a semi hair-pin to the left). The Arrow turns green, Speedy and I start to turn. When im in the center of south bound traffics lane I see this lady turning right (from south bound traffic) onto the on-ramp. Never F**king LOOKED!!! I back off the throttle a little but im leaned over pretty good and was nervous about grabbing to much break. Plus I was worried about getting hit from behind. Speedy G has already hammered it and is a car length in front of me. She was along side me moving closer. Once I saw she wasn’t going to stop or look, I punched it hard. I must have scared her (D&D pipe 2 feet from her door). I look back and she has STOPED along with all the other turning traffic.

Not my closet call just most recent.

How could this have been avoided: Not sure, I didn’t do much wrong? Although a better scan of the intersection may have prevented this.

While im babaling… Ill make the point that I try not to flip ppl the bird when they do something stupid. Yes they almost hit you but if you flip them off it just makes them angry rather than feeling guilty/scared.

[CanAm]

Carl,
I just came across this thread and read every message in it. Kudos to you for creating such a valuable tool for the CSC. It reminds me of the accident and near-miss reports that the aviation industry puts out (my father was a private pilot and I used to read the ones he received). This is a forum for sharing lessons learned rather than just bitch sessions about cage drivers.
One person had responded saying that you were lucky and should maybe give it a rest to save your luck. I give you more credit; I think you make your luck by riding defensively and being constantly aware of the traffic around you.
I also like your taking the high road and not giving the finger to everyone that makes a mistake. Don't we all respond better to someone who can calmly tell us we screwed up as opposed to someone who hurls obscenities at us?
I have subscribed to this thread now and don't feel that even daily reminders are too much. Riding a sport bike is as much fun as a person can have with their clothes on, but it should be treated as seriously as flying a plane. Ride safe and have fun. We can do both.
Don

[dm_gsxr]

Thanks. Since it's a local thread, I think it has even more value. Many of the locations are familiar to us and perhaps, if one person can remember a situation detailed here and do the right thing, we'll read about a successful avoidance instead of a headline.

A followup to my last note, I did change routes and I believe that has made the commute a bit safer if a little longer. Better a few extra minutes in the saddle

Carl

[dirkterrell]

I've been following this thread. Good idea, Carl.

Today I experienced a first in nearly 25 years on the street. I turned left from Folsom onto Canyon in Boulder and accelerated. Down the road I saw an RTD bus in the left lane and it went into a left turn lane. I was also in the left lane. My reaction was what I always do: move to the right of the lane to see if anyone coming the other direction is going to turn left. I also check the right mirror to be sure that I can move into that lane quickly if necessary.

I also noted a bicyclist on the ride side of the road waiting to cross. He was very obviously looking at the bus but I didn't immediately register him as a threat, as he was off the seat and standing. When I saw that no one was poised to turn left in front of me, I went back to my normal scanning mode and I see the bicyclist getting on the pedals to take off. I roll off the throttle and begin squeezing the front brake to get the bike settled for hard braking but I'm still thinking there's no way this guy is stupid enough to ride across my path. He takes off, still looking at the bus and obviously has no idea that I'm there. I increase the pressure on the front to full brake and add a little pressure to the rear pedal. He goes right in front of me and I honestly don't think he ever knew I was there. Those are times when I wish I had a Strebel. He was so oblivious that it probably would have startled him so bad that he would have fallen off the bike.

I couldn't believe a bicyclist would be that careless. But, this is Boulder after all. I see people cross the street all the time and they never give the slightest look for oncoming traffic. Y'all ride safe out there.

Dirk

[Bueller]

Date: 10/2/07
Time: About 6:30 pm-ish
Location: Checker Auto Parking lot at Broadway and Arapahoe (approx)
Conditions: Clear, sun setting lotsa glare
I bought some oil and talked to a guy for 1/2 hr about Motards. I was leaving the parking lot, exiting onto the side street from the parking lot, with the sun glare didn't see the car approaching the intersection right away, at the last second I see the car and skid to a stop before entering the street. The little ol'e lady in the car sees my blunder and comes to a stop well ahead of the potential crash site and allows me to proceed. I wave at her in appretiation for her alertness and continue on talking to myself in my helmet for not being more careful.

[dm_gsxr]

Date: 9/30/07
Time: about 4:30pm
Location: Arapahoe and 55th in Boulder
Conditions: Sun behind me but it's still bright.

Heading home after the game, I came upon one of the other players (he was on a Harley Sportster). I slipped in behind him and being a rider, I stayed to his right and behind (we were getting closer to the merge area). It's not a position I like to be in especially since we were in the center lane. To the left is a red beater. I'm staying behind his right rear quarterpanel since moving up to the standard distance would put me in his blind spot. I see his turn signal and he starts to move over, spots me and jerks the wheel back into the left lane and waving at me in apology. I backed off a bit more and waved him over in front of me. After a moment he used his turn signal again and moved over and then gave me a wave again in thanks.

There were a couple of things here. Riding behind another biker seems to put me into formation; staggered behind him. Generally when I'm in the center lane, I'll weave a little and try to get in the left or right drivers mirror. Being in the staggered formation somewhat limited that which made me a bit more nervous and careful. Eventually I got around him and then around the other cars and the biker to be in the clear which is where I always try to ride

Carl

[dm_gsxr]

Date: 10/3/07
Time: 7:18am
Location: 287 near the new Wal*Mart in Lafayette
Conditions: Bright morning, sun out.

Dirk,

I do exactly the same thing. This morning on my way to work I came upon a long line of cars waiting to make a left with a bus at the front. Since I can't see the oncoming left turn lane, I really hugged the right side of the lane (typically I'm in the right side of a left lane anyway) and kept an eye out for left turners. In this case I think my action prevented a close call as the first car made the left (plenty of space) but the one behind had to have seen me and waited.

Many times just the regular actions will prevent the closest of calls. Staying to the right while in the left lane and especially to the right when approaching a lot of left turn drivers might save your bike and ass

Carl

[Oldgreen]

I have always done a little weaving in traffic. I will take the left side of the lane to "show" myself to potential left turners and to see if there are any. I also try real hard not to 'hide" behind cars/vans/trucks. I usually increase my following distance for this. Also I will accerlate to get out of a blind spot in traffic and I try to make a lot of eye contact. My only bad habit is getting on it for a pass before oncoming traffic is clear. I gotta work on that. I live in Estes so I canyon carve up and down the canyons and pass a lot on two lane roads.

[elbromisto]

I commute from about March until November regularly, and in the winter I trade the gixxer for a mtn. bike depending on road conditions. It's short but I see a lot of oblivious drivers in my short ride.
Short story:
Cager tried to merge into my lane on an empty road. I assessed the threat before it occurred, I visualized a "solution line," and I was fully prepared to execute when the worst case scenario came true. I merged into the right lane, got on the horn, and merged into the bike lane/shoulder and began to brake when the minivan continued to push me off the road. I also anticipated her utter shock when she realized I was there, so I was ready to accelerate ahead when she slammed on the brakes as she heard my horn and looked in the window.
Long story:
Recently I got on a road in between lights so I was the only vehicle on four lanes for about a quarter mile. I was westbound in the left lane, nearing my turn, when I noticed a minivan about to leave a museum/pre-school parking lot. The driver pulled out right in front of me, also going west. I covered the brake, got off the gas, and merged into the right lane since she obviously didn't see me. Then she merged right, directly into me. The best part is that I wasn't even in her blind spot. I was looking in her passenger window as I laid on the horn. I simultaneously edged toward the bike lane while staying close to her van to maximize maneuverability within the lane. She slammed on the brakes (which put her in my path again since I was decelerating), I went ahead, pointing my finger "shame on you," and went home.

A few minutes later she came to my house (my bike was parked outside) a sobbed an apology. The van full of children distracted her (big surprise!) I told her if my son is distracting to me then I go nowhere until the car is again a safe environment to drive in. It's too bad that some stereotypes exist, but we have created them for millions of years because they really do increase our survival rate.

[dattaway]

Would you jump over a car or go around it? In the rain?

Two years ago I had a close call with mortality. I was on my way to work and the rain was very heavy on I70. Water didn't have a chance to drain from the highway and left up to an inch of water in the lanes. Visibility was very poor. My visor was fogged and I had it open so I could peek over the windscreen for a clear shot. My headlight wasn't all that great on this dark highway. Power was knocked out so there were no other lights.

And there it was, an image of a stalled compact car dead ahead of me with no lights or hazards in the middle of the highway. When I recognized it, I could have almost read the license plate of this blue Geo and I did notice its doors were closed with no people outside. I was traveling 60mph. How would have my bike handled this? I previously found the hydroplane point with this much water is 90mph. That's the point where the rear tire spools up and won't accelerate. I remembered from playing around many times earlier that braking under these conditions is fairly good and quickly recoverable. I might have been able to shave off perhaps 10-20mph, but using that acceleration to turn might have been better.

I had a choice. I had enough time to try and jump over this compact car or I could attempt to go around it. Jumping would cause total loss of bike, I would have been late for work, and a possible serious injury from slamming the waterlogged pavement at 60mph from several feet in the air if I was lucky. If I jumped wrong, I could have planted my face into the back of the car while doing a flip, breaking my body in half.

Or I could have found out how much turning ability my bike had. I didn't want to be late for work, so I pushed the bars with the most slip I thought my front tire could take without wiping out. It turned out I made a wise choice. My bike changed lanes without an interruption. At work during my first break, I saw a fatality accident at that location on television. I was somber that shift.

From this, I've learned its best to avoid the accident than "laying it down" or trying to jump over. This was my only near fatality and I remain accident free.

[Kristian]

Yesterday afternoon on I-25 between Hampden and Yale, got to use the Stebel for the first time. Red Explorer decided to enter my lane. Blew the horn, and he almost wrecked correcting himself!

[dm_gsxr]

It seems that changing my route and the change in time have severely reduced the close calls. However

Date: 12/20/07
Time: 5:00pm
Location: Lowell and Sheridan Parkway
Conditions: Deep dusk (still a little light in the sky)

I'm on Rita's Ninja 650 this week. The intersection is a four way stop. Sheridan has a median and Lowell is a two lane road.

As I headed south on Lowell and approached the stop sign, I could see a SUV heading towards the stop to my right. I got to the stop sign several car lengths before the SUV got to his (or hers). Put my foot down and then accelerated just as the SUV stopped. I'm about a car length from the SUV as he starts to pull out. He gets about a half a car length before slamming on the brakes and nose diving the SUV.

Unfortunately had he not stopped, he would have hit me. I wasn't expecting him to stop and go. Generally I keep an eye to see if the drivers look like they're not going to stop at all which is typical.

So expect anything.

Ride Safe.

Carl

[CanAm]

Thanks for the report Carl. I hadn't seen one of these in a while and I think it is good to be reminded of the hazards we face, but with a positive outcome. Otherwise all you hear about are the serious accidents and fatals. That that's just depressing.

[dm_gsxr]

I'm curious to see what this list looks like at the end of a year. It might prove interesting

Date: 12/21/07
Time: 2:15pm
Location: 287 and 7 (the 7 that goes east from 287)
Conditions: Light Snow Flurries

I'm heading south in the left lane. About 60% of the time I'll take the left onto 7 unless the cars are backed up into the main street. This time I'm going straight. A white sedan is in the right lane. It's the tail end of traffic and the light starts to change as I go through the intersection. I see a minivan making a right turn into 287 and the white car decides to move into the left lane so the minivan can merge into traffic.

Of course I'm right there so I accelerate to get ahead of the car. He apparently never sees me because he keeps on merging into the left lane without a pause.

I didn't feel threatened in part because I was able to react. I'm pretty sure I didn't expect him to try and merge though. My automatic reaction was to accelerate out of the situation. I waggled my index finger at him after I passed and then just kept going.

Carl

[rapparee]

I do not have a specific incident but rather an intersection that has always been a challenge. It is at Central St. and 20th street. As you head north on Central and come around the corner onto the 20th St bridge over I-25 there is an on ramp that always seems to have cars making left hand turns in order to get onto the highway. I have had a few close calls at this spot including having to come to a full stop then having 3 cars pass right in front of me just because they could. Keep your head up and there should be no problems but people getting off of work downtown just do not seem to care.

[dm_gsxr]

It's been a little while since I've anything worth reporting

Date: 1/23/08
Time: 7:15am
Location: Dillon Road and Old Dillon Road light
Conditions: Moderately cold

This was totally my fault.

Heading west on 144th/Dillon road, I was behind another car who was doing the speed limit (35mph) which wasn't usual on that stretch. At the bottom of the hill is the light which lets you go to Reed and Wright. It used to be Dillon road before they rerouted it due to 470.

The light sometimes changes for no good reason and it's a fast change. Sometimes the morning light is just right and the light is obscured. I know I've gone through the red a couple of times just due to the positioning of the light. All these are just excuses really.

Of course this morning the light changes. We do have plenty of time to go through the light however the guy in front of me just stops instead of going through the yellow. I'm anticipating that he'll go through the light so his stopping catches me by surprise which is my big mistake.

I'd already seen that no one was making the left turn, no one was coming in our direction (there's no opposing left turn to cross our traffic), so instead of panic stopping in the left over "salt" and possibly losing it, I decided to blow through the light.

I didn't like it however I had determined it was probably the safest thing I could do under the circumstances. If someone had been waiting to make the turn (almost always a semi), it would have been a bigger risk and I might have made a different decision.

I was a lot more careful when I continued on and kept an eye on my mirrors to see if a cop had been in the line of traffic behind me (of course I would have pulled over and explained it, hoping for understanding ).

Be careful out there.

Carl

[pilot]

Nice save Carl.

[QuarterMile]

I know this is off topic without posting about a close call, but yeah reading some of them makes my nuts hurt lol. I been in some crazy situations myself.

[Blindone]

I25 and 6th ave
Noon
2/22/08
moderate mid-day traffic

I was in the inside lane doing about 55 when i got something in my left eye. traffic was too heavy to get off to the side of the road and clear whatever it was that entered my eye. My eye started to water really badly and was causing severe discomfort. I couldn't ride with only my right eye for some reason, it seemed to be loosing vision as well. Anyway I forced blood into my head and it helped my vision return. Kinda has freaked me out and I'm not sure what caused it. I had my Arai on with the visor locked down.

[mushin_man39]

I was on my GSX R600 leaving my driveway at 7:03 am. Meanwhile, a train is leaving the station in Chicago. The LA express is pulling out of Los Angeles, as well. At 10:03 MST, a bird flies over Detroit. At the same time, I swerve around a dead cat. What color are my boxers now?

[tarded400]

Sheesh, I commute on the wife's ORANGE sv and get merged into about 3 or 4 times a week. Last time the guy knew I was there, he just wanted my lane. About 75% of the time they never saw me, continuing into my lane. It doesn't do any good to honk or flash your lights either, because they either don't see/hear it, or assume its your fault because "you appeared out of no where." Must be a sportbike hauling ass.

[CanAm]

Time for a Steble air horn. I don't have one myself yet, still working on a HID conversion, but I have heard great things about them. At 139 db people think they've just cut off a tractor-trailer.

[dm_gsxr]

Date: 3/12/07
Time: About 7:20am
Location: Niwot Road West
Conditions: Clear and windy

Approaching a large pickup with three guys. I started my pass. As I got to the driver side door, I could see that they were coming up on a much slower car. I realized they were much closer and expected that they were going to pass as well so I opened the throttle; both to get ahead and to let them know I was there. As I passed the front fender and tire, I could see it beginning to cross the double yellow. They pulled back in behind the car and slowed down.

I believe they started to accelerate in order to pass the car as I recall seeing the car before I got close to the truck and it was pretty far up the road.

Mistakes:

I couldn't see the car ahead of the truck before I started my pass. It could have been making a left or right which would have ruined my day.

The truck driver didn't look before starting his pass.

Carl

[dirkterrell]

Date: 3/12/07
I couldn't see the car ahead of the truck before I started my pass. It could have been making a left or right which would have ruined my day.

Yep, that's always a good thing to keep in mind. I've heard many stories of people having someone turn left during a pass. I recall a thread here last year about such an incident. I think Pilot posted it along the lines of "can you tell what happened here?"

Dirk